The present invention is related generally to grounding clips and more particularly to push-on type grounding clips.
Electronic modules that are connected by shielded cables must have the shield connected, or grounded, to the module enclosure at the point of entry to prevent spurious signal currents potentially present on the shield from entering or leaving the enclosure and thus mixing undesirably with information carrying signals. Such mixing may seriously degrade the performance of the electronic module as will be appreciated.
There are a wide variety of prior methods for grounding the shield of a shielded cable. One method provides a connector having a terminal designed for receiving the shield of the shielded cable. Another method uses a terminal lug soldered to the shield where the insulation has been removed. This terminal lug is then bolted to the metallic wall of a chassis. Other techniques may have been tried as well. However, such known prior methods are relatively expensive, require specialized hardware, and are often time consuming during assembly of the finished product.
Push-on type grounding clips, such as the present invention, eliminate many of the abovedescribed disadvantages. There are a wide variety of push-on type grounding clips known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,981 to Holton is for a one-piece grounding device for holding a wire or the like to an edge of a metallic panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,050 to Hindenburg is for a one-piece push-on type grounding clip. The grounding clip is generally U-shaped and is provided with a spur which will tend to dig into the surface of the metallic wall to which it is attached.
Another type of one-piece push-on grounding clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,870. The grounding clip disclosed therein is provided with a toothed edge for penetrating and displacing the insulating covering of the wire thus making full electrical contact with the shield during installation of the grounding clip.
There are a wide variety of push-on type grounding clips known in the art, the brief description of the above-identified specific patents is provided merely as an exemplary review of such relevant prior art and is not intended to be exhaustive.